Mr. Dang Thanh Tung, from Thanh Thoi An commune, Can Tho city, stands beside his pineapple-flavored coconut garden, which has achieved 3-star OCOP certification.
Mr. Tung's six-year-old pineapple-coconut garden is intercropped with three different types of trees: lemons, pomelos, and Thai jackfruit, covering an area of nearly 2 hectares. According to Mr. Tung, intercropping helps generate short-term income while supporting long-term growth, allowing the plants to complement each other and stay healthy. It also helps utilize nutrients from irrigation and fertilization, reducing seasonal costs.
Mr. Tung confided: "I researched the suitability of the pineapple coconut tree for the local soil, because the land being cultivated is acidic, so I had to consider it carefully. When I was sure that pineapple coconuts would adapt well to this land, I bought 470 pineapple coconut seedlings and planted them interspersed with seedless lemons, green pomelos, and Thai jackfruit."
According to Mr. Tung, compared to the pineapple coconut tree, seedless lemons and Thai jackfruit can be harvested after 18 months of planting, with fruit available year-round. However, pineapple coconut trees only start bearing fruit after 3 years, and only in the second year after harvesting do they produce a large harvest. Currently, the coconut orchard is 3 years old, and the trees are mature enough to yield a good harvest. During the hot season like now, the orchard harvests 1,200 coconuts per month, selling them at 10,000 VND per fruit; during the rainy season, the harvest ranges from 3,000-3,500 coconuts per month, selling at 8,000-8,500 VND per fruit. Calculations show that during the dry season, after deducting investment costs, the coconut orchard generates an income of over 10 million VND per month; during the rainy season, the income is 25-27 million VND per month.
To ensure the coconuts reach the required weight (1.5-1.6 kg or more per fruit), Mr. Tung has to reduce the number of fruits on each bunch; fertilize 3-4 times a year; water 1-2 times a week during the hot, dry months; spray biological pesticides once a month to prevent beetles, weevils, rats, and rhinoceros beetles; and regularly prune the coconut trees, removing old coconut leaves and cutting down bunches that have not borne fruit or have already been harvested.
With the unique characteristics of pineapple-flavored coconuts grown in the saline-alkaline soil of Thanh Thoi An commune, Mr. Tung's pineapple-flavored coconuts are expected to achieve OCOP 3-star rating in 2025. To upgrade to OCOP 4-star, Mr. Tung plans to process the coconuts into various products such as coconut jam and bottled coconut water.
Mr. Nguyen Hoang Kha, Head of the Economic Department of Thanh Thoi An commune, said: "Mr. Dang Thanh Tung's pineapple-flavored coconut product is one of the three OCOP 3-star products of the locality. Over the years, Mr. Tung's coconut garden has shown stable economic efficiency, with an average income of over 250 million VND/year, combined with intercropping other crops to generate an income of over 350 million VND/year/area of nearly 2 hectares."
"Based on Mr. Tung's pineapple-flavored coconut farming model, the local authorities will promote and encourage households to switch from less efficient crops to pineapple-flavored coconuts. If the planting area expands significantly, the local authorities will coordinate with farmers to link with purchasing units to consume the coconuts after harvest. As for Mr. Tung's pineapple-flavored coconut product, the local authorities will support it in increasing its value to help it achieve OCOP 4-star ranking in the near future," Mr. Nguyen Hoang Kha added.
Text and photos: THUY LIEU
Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/trong-dua-dua-tren-vung-dat-phen-cho-thu-nhap-on-dinh-a203553.html
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